Today’s quick review: The African Queen. The outbreak of World War I spells disaster for Rose Sayer (Katharine Hepburn), a British missionary to East Africa, when German troops burn the village where she was stationed. Left with nothing, Rose turns to Charlie Allnutt (Humphrey Bogart), a Canadian riverboat captain, to get her out of the region safely. Together they embark on a perilous journey downriver aboard Charlie’s boat, The African Queen.
The African Queen is a romantic adventure about two survivors trying to escape from German-controlled East Africa. Their only way out is down a river filled with fearsome rapids, deadly animals, and German soldiers, all leading to a lake patrolled by a well-armed German steamer. The African Queen is a classic adventure that mixes peril and heroism in equal parts. However, its unusual tone makes it less accessible than later entries in the genre.
The African Queen has uncharacteristic roles for its leading duo. Rose and Charlie are simpler, more earnest characters than the ones Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart are known for. There’s no sharp-tongued banter to drive the romance or cynical barb at the heart of the drama. Instead, Rose and Charlie are kind, generous people who find that their superficial differences are nothing compared to what they have in common.
Their relationship gives the entire movie an odd dynamic. On the one hand, Rose and Charlie are very believable characters, ordinary people thrust into a dangerous situation. On the other hand, the way they get along saps the movie of some of its dramatic heft. Where another movie would try to ratchet up the tension at key moments, The African Queen seems content to let its heroes be who they are and deal with the dangers of the river in their own way.
This underlying optimism will appeal to some viewers, but it may throw off the tonal balance of the movie for those used to other adventure yarns. The African Queen does have its merits, including a sweet and honest romance, a unique pair of main characters, and a well-constructed series of challenges for them to face. But what it achieves doesn’t fit into a neat box, making it a classic that will resonate more with some viewers than others.
For a romantic adventure with more comedy, try Romancing the Stone. For another drama starring Humphrey Bogart, try Casablanca or The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. For a much more violent riverboat trip set against the backdrop of war, try Rambo.
7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for solid overall execution and hit-or-miss character work.